This invention relates to a print engine. The invention has particular application in a print engine for use in an instantaneous print, digital camera. More particularly, this invention relates to an ink feed arrangement for feeding ink to a printhead of the print engine.
In a multi-color printhead, in particular a page width printhead, it is necessary to feed the different colors of ink, including, if necessary, ink which is invisible in the infrared spectrum only, to the printhead while maintaining the different colors of ink strictly isolated from each other. Due to the small dimensions of the printhead, an arrangement is required which can feed the various colors of inks to various parts of the printhead accurately.
Also, it is desirable to make the ink feed arrangement as compact as possible to achieve a compact form of print engine.
By xe2x80x9cpage widthxe2x80x9d is meant that the printhead prints one line at a time on the print media without traversing the print media, or rastering, as the print media moves past the printhead.
According to the invention, there is provided an ink feed arrangement for feeding ink to a printhead of a print engine, the ink feed arrangement including
a spine portion;
a casing mounted over the spine portion, the spine portion and the casing defining a plurality of parallel, but isolated, ink supply galleries;
a plurality of substantially aligned, spaced ink feed outlets defined in the spine portion for feeding inks to the printhead; and
a feed passage associated with each outlet for placing that outlet in fluid communication with one of the galleries.
The printhead may be a page width printhead printing various types of ink on print media, the printhead having a group of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices for each type of ink, and the ink feed arrangement may include a plurality of ink feed outlets for each group of MEMS devices of the printhead.
The feed outlets may be arranged in groups, each group of feed outlets comprising one feed outlet for each type of ink. Each feed outlet may feed ink, of the particular type, to an associated inlet opening of an ink supply member of the printhead.
The outlets may be arranged in a central, axial region of the spine, the passages associated with the feed outlet of each group of outlets radiating from said central regions in different directions. In other words, the passages may be, in effect, interdigitated in respect of each group of feed outlets.
The printhead may be received in said central, axial region of the spine with its ink supply member in communication with the ink feed arrangement.
An air supply channel may be defined in the spine portion alongside the printhead.
The spine portion may be supported on a support member, an electrical connector for providing electrical signals to the printhead being held captive between the spine portion and the support member. The electrical connector may comprise a tape automated bond (TAB) film. A flexible circuit board may be electrically connected to the TAB film, the support member including a raised formation, which urges the flexible circuit board into electrical contact with the TAB film.
A cap portion may be received over the casing for protecting the casing and defining a bearing surface against which a separating means bears for separating a piece of the print media, after an image has been printed thereon, from a remainder of the supply of print media.